Vehicle brake control apparatus



July 26, 1938. E. A. woRK ET Al.

5 VEHICLE BRAKE CONTROL APPARATUS Filed May 6, 1937 Patented July 26, 19.38

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VEHICLE BRAKE CONTROL APPARATUS Application May 6, 1937, Serial No. 141,106

18 Claims.

This invention relates to vehicle brake control apparatus, and particularly to vehicle brake control apparatus including means for guarding against sliding of the vehicle wheels.

The term sliding, as employed herein with reference to vehicle wheels, refers to the dragging of a vehicle wheel along a road surface or rail while the wheel is in a locked state, as distinguished from slipping of the vehicle wheel which term is employed herein to designate the rotation of a vehicle wheel at a speed less than a speed corresponding to vehicle speed, as when decelerating toward a locked state. The interval of time which elapses from the instant that a vehicle wheel begins to slip to the instant that the wh-eel attains a locked condition is referred to as the slipping time or slipping period.

Various devices have been proposed which are effective, upon the slipping of a vehicle wheel, to cause fluid under pressure to be rapidly released from a brake cylinder so as to release the brakes on the slipping wheel and thus enable it to return to a rotative speed corresponding to vehicle speed and thereby prevent sliding of the wheel. With but few known exceptions, however, such as the equipment disclosed in the copending application Serial No. '718,376 of Joseph C. Mc- Cune, filed March 31, 1934, and copending application Serial No. 111,690 of Joseph C. McCune, filed November 19, 1936, both applications being assigned to the assignee of the present application, such devices are effective to restore the original brake cylinder pressure which initiated the slipping of the wheel, when a vehicle wheel returns toward a speed. corresponding to vehicle speed upon relief of the slipping.

In view of the fact that the vehicle speed is constantly reducing during an application of the brakes and that the coeflicient of friction between the brake shoes and the braking surface of the vehicle wheels is, therefore, increasing, the retarding force exerted on a Vehicle wheel for a given brake cylinder pressure or braking force is correspondingly increased upon the reapplication of the brakes following the slipping of the wheel. As a result, the restoration of the original brake cylinder pressure which initiated slipping of the wheel is very likely to cause recurrence of slipping unless the condition of the road surface or rails changes in the meantime to such an extent that the coefficient of adhesion between the rim of the vehicle wheel and the road surface or rails can sustain the restored retarding force on the vehicle wheels without slip of the wheels occurring. y

(o1. sos- 21) The desirability of preventing constant repetition or recurrence of wheel-slipping due to restoration of the original braking force by an antiwheel-sliding equipment will be apparent, for if the wheel continues to slip repeatedly after each reapplication of the brakes, the brake cylinder pressure must necessarily be repeatedly reduced, thus incidentally causing fluid under pressure to be repeatedly wasted. If then, repeated releases of the brakes, following the initial release in rel0 spense to the rst slipping of the vehicle wheels, may be prevented, it will be apparent that the repeated venting of the fluid under pressure from the brake cylinder will be obviated and the resultant advantage attained of conservation of l5 fluid under pressure in the system.

It is possible, in the case of a singlervehicle or car, that a fluid compressor may'supply sufficient fluid under pressure to maintain the supply reservoir for the system charged to a normal pres- 20 sure despite the repeated venting of fluid under pressure from the brake cylinder, but it should be obvious that in a brake control equipment for railway trains having a number of cars in a train the capacity of the fluid compressor will be in-ef- 25 fective to maintain the supply pressure in the system against the repeated venting of fluid under pressure from a large number of brake cylinders. Thus, if the vehicle wheels are permitted to slip repeatedly upon reapplication of the brakes fol- 30 lowing each slipping thereof in the case of a train of cars, the supply pressure in the system in the brake equipment maybe reduced to such an extent as to impair the effectiveness of the braking equipment with the consequent lack of 35 safety and danger of serious consequences. y

It has been proposed in the above-mentioned copending applications to provide equipment adapted to control the reapplication of the brakes in a manner so as to render negligible the likeli- 40 hood of recurrence of wheel-slipping upon reapplication of the brakes following the initial slipping of the vehicle wheel.

It is an object of our invention to provide a brake control equipment which is of relatively 45 simple construction compared to the equipments disclosed in the above mentioned copending applications and which is adapted to control the reapplication of the brakes, following the release of the brakes occurring upon the slipping of the 50 vehicle wheel, in such manner as to minimize the likelihood of recurrence of wheel-slipping.

More specically, it is an object of our invention to provide a brake control equipment including anti-wheel sliding means adapted to automatically limit the degree of the braking force upon reapplication of the brakes, following a slipping of the wheel, to a degree lower than the degree which initiated the slipping of the vehicle wheel.

Another object of our invention is to provide an anti-wheel sliding brake control equipment, of the character indicated in the foregoing object, adapted to cause the brakes to be reapplied upon the relief of the Wheel-slipping condition rst at a rapid rate and then at a slower rate.

The above objects, and other objects of our invention which will be made apparent hereinafter, are attained by several embodiments of our invention, shown in the accompanying drawing, wherein,

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view, with parts in section, showing the essential elements of a brake equipment embodying our invention,

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view, taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 -is a fragmentary sectional View, taken on the line 3,-3 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary sectional View, showing a modiiication o f the reapplication'valvedevice Vshown in Fig. 1

Description of embodiment shoum in Fig. 1

The embodiment of our` invention, shown in Fig. -1, comprises a brake cylinder I0, a reservoir Il, hereinafter called the main reservoir, which is charged with fluid under pressure in the usual manner by a fluid compressor not shown, a brake valve device I2 of any suitable construction adapted to supply fluid under pressure from the main reservoir II to the brake cylinder I9, a release valve device I3, a reapplication valve device I4, and a wheel-slip detector I5.

The brake valve device l2 may be of any suitable construction and includes an operating handleV i8 which is normally in a brake release position to cause a pipe I9 through which fluid under pressure is supplied to the brake cylinder I9 to be connected to atmosphere, and which is operative out of the brake release position to causethe establishment-of a desired uid pressure in the pipe I 9j and accordingly in the brake cylinder Iii to correspondingly control the degree of va brake application.

n The. release valve device I3 comprises a casing 2| containing a piston valve 22 shiftable in a bore 23 in Aone direction into seated relation on a gasket seat 24, xed on an Vannular stop 25, to control communication through a plurality of ports 28 from an annular chamber 26 to a chamber 21 at one side of the piston valve. The chamber 21 is connected by a central passage 3i, in an annular stop 32 atV one end ofthe bore ,23, to 'a chamber 33 to which the pipe I9 is constantly connected.

When the piston valve 22 is shifted in the opposite direction away from the annular stop 25 it engages in seated relation a gasket seat 34 on the annular stop 32 to cut off communication between the chamber 26 and the chamber 33 throughthe passage 3l and at the same time to establish communication through the ports 28 between `the annular chamber 26 and aY chamber 35v on the opposite side of the piston valve 22 to the chamber 21. The chamber 35 is constantly connected through a Vcentral passage 36 in the annular stop V25, toa chamber 31 which is constantlyconnected to atmosphere through a rela- Htively large port 38.

The v"piston valve 22 Vis'a'dapted to be shifted `the release valve device between the oppositely seated positions on gaskets 24 and 34 by a uid pressure responsive device such as a piston 4| contained in the casing and having a stem 42 at one side thereof which eX- tends through the central passage 38 in the annular stop 25 and is attached to or integrally united with the piston valve 22. Contained in the chamber 31 at one side of the piston 4I is a spring 43 which is interposed between the piston 4I and the annular stop 25 in such manner as to normally shift the piston 4i to an extreme righthand position as determined by the engagement of the piston valve 22 with the gasket seat 24.

When uid under pressure is supplied to a chamber 45 at the side of the piston 4I opposite to the chamber 31, spring 43 is overcome and the piston valve 22 is shifted in the left-hand direction into seated relation on the gasket seat 34.

A magnet valve device 41 is provided for controlling the supply of fluid under pressure to the chamber 45 and the release of uid under pressure therefrom. iIhe magnet valve device 41 comprises a pair of oppositely seating Valves 48 and -49, hereinafter called the supply Valve and the release valve, respectively, which are connected by a common stem I and adapted to be operated between oppositely seated positions by an electromagnet 52 through the medium of a plunger or stem 53 associated with the electromagnet and connected to the release valve 49. `When the electromagnet 52 of the magnet valve device 41 is deenergized, the supply valve 48 and the release valve 4'9 are suitably biased to seated and unseated positions, respectively, as

by a spring 5) interposed between the casing and the supply valve 48. With the release valve 49 unseated, communication is established from a chamber 54, which is constantly connected to the piston chamber 45 through a passage 55, to a chamber 53 which is constantly open to atmosphere through an exhaust port 51. Thus, when the electromagnet 52 is deenergized, uid under pressure is vented from the piston chamber 45 to atmosphere through the exhaust port 51.

When the'electromagnet 52 of the magnet valve device 41 is energized, the supply Valve 48 and the release valve 49 are shifted to unseated and seated positions, respectively, against the opposing force of spring 50. In its seated position, the release valve 49 cuts off the exhaust communication for the piston chamber 45Y just described. In its unseated position, the supply valve 48. establishes communicationv from the chamber 54 to a chamber'59 which is connected to the chamber 33 through a passage 69.

Y48 Aestablishes communication through which uid under pressure is supplied to the piston chamber 45. A

The reapplication valve device I 4'comprises a casing 62 containing a valve piston G3 which operates slidably ina bore 64 of the casing. The valve piston 63 is normally in a position to open communication from a passage and pipe 6E, which is connected to the annular chamber 26 of I3, to a passage and pipe v61 leading to the brake cylinder I0.

The valve piston 63 carries thereon a suitable gasket which engages an annular ribseat 69,

when the Valve piston B3 is shifted inthe lefthand direction, to cut off the communication therepast from the-passagelll to the passage 61. The valve piston 63 is shifted from its normal It `wi1l thus be apparent that, with the chamber' position to seated position on the annular rib seat 59 as by a piston1| which has at one side thereof a chamber 12 for receiving fluid under pressure and at. the opposite side a chamber 13 which is constantly open to atmosphere through a port A14 in the casing. The valve piston 63 vmay be connected to the piston 1| as by a stem 15.

Contained in the chamber 13 in surrounding relation to the stem 15 is a spring 16, which is interposed between an annular stop 11 and the piston 1|, for urging the piston and accordingly the valve piston 63 to its normal position.

Constantly connected to the piston chamber 12 through a passage 19 is a volume reservoir 8|, the purpose of which will be made apparent hereinafter.

The supply of fluid under pressure to and the release of fluid under pressure from the piston chamber 12 is under the control of the magnet valve device 41. kAs will be apparent in Fig. 1, the volume reservoir 8| is supplied with fluid under pressure from the passage 55 of the release valve device I3 through a pipe and passage 83 which opens into a chamber 84, in turn connected to the volume reservoir 8| through a port' 85. Contained in the chamber 84 is a ball check valve 86 which is adapted to unseat to permit a rapid supply of fluid under pressure from the pipe and passage 83 to the piston chamber 12 and volume reservoir 8|, and which is actuated to seated position to prevent reverse flow of fluid under pressure therepast from the piston chamber 12 and connected volume reservoir 8| to the passage and pipe 83. In by-pass relation to the ball check Valve 86 is a passage 88 containing a restricted passage 89 for restricting the rate at which fluid under pressure may be released from the piston chamber 12 and the connected volume reservoir 8| to the pipe and passage 83. The purpose and the function of the restricted passage 89 will be made clear later.

The passage 66 in the casing 62 of the reapplication valve device 4 leads to a chamber 9| containing a ball check valve 92 which seats to close a port 93 to prevent .the flow of fluid under pressure from the passage 66 to the passage 61 but which unseats to permit reverse flow of fluid under pressure through port 93 from the passage and pipe 61 and connected brake cylinder to the passage and pipe 66.

Contained in a chamber 94, that is connected to the passage 61 by a branch passage 95, is a check valve 96 shown as of the disc type which is biased into seated position on an annular rib seat 91 by a yielding spring 98 to close the connection through a port 99 from the chamber 94 to the passage 66.

The spring 98 may be of any desired strength so as to prevent unseating of the check valve 96 in response to the pressure in the supply passage 66 until the pressure in the passage 66 exceeds a certain pressure, such as fifteen or twenty pounds per square inch. The function of the loaded check valve 96 will be made apparent hereinafter.

The wheel-slip detector |5 comprises a casing |0| having a chamber |02 containing a differential gear mechanism |03 similar to the well known differential gearmechanismprovided on automotive vehicles. Suitably journaled for rotation in the casing |02 is a bevel ring gear |04 and an attached gear housing |05. Journaled in the gear housing |05 is a shaft |06 having rotatable thereon in spaced relation two oppositely faced bevel pinion gears |01.

Cooperatively ing to they speed of travel of the vehicle and the other bevel gear |08 is adapted to be ro- -tated in the opposite direction at a speed corresponding at all times to the rotative speed of a Vehicle wheel |09. vThe rotation of the gears |88 may be accomplished in any suitable manner. For example, one of the gears |08 may be driven according to the speed of the vehicle as by providing a tracer wheel which is suitably mounted on a portion ||2 'of the car bodyor car truck and yieldingly urged, as by springs ||3, into frictional contact with the road surface or track rail I |4, the tracer wheel being effective, through bevel gears ||5, to rotate a flexible shaft ||6 to which the gear |08 is fixed. As is customary in the case of flexible shafts, a suitable armored sheathing |1 is provided.

In a similar manner, a tracer wheel ||9 is suitably mounted on a portion I2| of the car body or car truck and yieldingly urged, as by springs |2|, into frictional contact with the rim of the vehicle wheel |09, the gear |08 being fixed to a flexible shaft |23 which is rotated according to the rotation of the tracer wheel ||9, through bevel gears |22. A suitable armored sheathing |24 is provided for the shaft |23.

. The arrangement of the dierential gear mechanism |03, the tracer wheels and the bevel gears i5 and |22 is such that if the vehicle wheel |09 rotates at a speed corresponding to vehicle speed, the two bevel gears I8 will be rotated simultaneously in opposite directions at the same speed so that the pinion gears |61 merely idle on the shaft |06 and no rotation of the gear housing |05 and the attached ring gear |4 is produced. If, however, the vehicle wheel |09 begins to slip, the difference in the rotative speed of the two bevel gears |08 causes rotation of the gear housing |05 and of the ring gear |04 at a speed corresponding to the difference between the rotative speeds of the two bevel gears |08.

The wheel-slip detector |5 further comprises a centrifuge 3| rotated according to the speed of rotation of the ring gear |04 and adapted to operate a movable switch contact member |32 controlling a circuit for energizing the electromagnet 52 of the magnet valve device 41. 'I'he centrifuge |3| may comprise a rotary element |33 suitably'mounted for rotation within the casing |0| and having fixed thereto a rod or shaft which has xed thereon a bevel pinion gear |35 meshing with Athe ring gear |04. Pivotally mounted on the rotary element |3| intermediate the ends thereof are a plurality of levers |36 having weights, such as fly-balls |31, fixed to the outer ends thereof, the inner ends of the levers being in engagement with a collar or flange |38 fixed on a stem |39 which carries the switch contact member 32 in insulated relation thereon.

A spring |4|, interposed between the rotary element |33 and the collar |38 of the stem |39, urges the stem downwardly so as to cause the contact member |32 to disengage a pair of associated fixed Contact fingers |42 and thereby interrupt the circuit for the electromagnet of the magnet valve device 41. The spring |4| is preferably lightly tensioned and the gear ratio between the ring gear |04 and pinion 35 is such that when the ring gear |04 rotates in excess of a relatively low'speed the rotary element I33 rotates at a relatively high speed and thus causes Vthe centrifugal .force on the fly-balls |31 to exert sufficient force upwardly on thelcollar |38 to overcome the opposing force of the spring1|4| and consequently shift the stem |39 upwardly to effect circuit-closing engagementof the contact member |32 with the contact ngers |42.

It will be apparent, therefore, that when the rotative speed of the vehicle wheel |99 reduces or slips more than a certain low number of revolutions per minute below a numberY of revolutions per minute corresponding to the speed of travel of the vehicle or train, contact member |32 is actuated to circuit-closing position. It will, furthermore, be apparent that as long as the vehicle wheel |99 continues to rotate at such reduced speed relative to the speed of the vehicle, that is, as long as the wheel continues to slip, the contact member |32 remains in circuitclosing position.

The circuit for energizing the electromagnet 52 of the magnet valvevdevice 41 is obvious and needs no description other Ythan that the switch r contact member |32, when actuated to circuitclosing position, connects the electromagnet 52 of the magnet valve device 41 in circuit with Va suitable source of current indicated as a battery |45. Y

Operwton In operation, assuming that the main reservoir I I is charged to normal pressure thereof and that the vehicle or train is traveling along the road under power, an application of the brakes may be effected by rst cutting off the power to the propelling motors and then operating the handle I8 of the brake valve device I2 to supply fluid under pressure from the main reservoir to the brake cylinder I0. Fluid under pressure is supplied from the main reservoir I to the brake cylinder through the brakev valve device I2, pipe I9, chamber 33, passage 3|, chamber 21, ports 28, chamber 26, pipe and passage 66, past the unseated valve piston 53, and passage and pipe 61. If the brake valve device l2 is of therselflapping type, the handle I3 is operated from a normal position into an application YZone a desired degree to establish a pressure in the brake cylinder III corresponding to the position of the handle I8 in the application zone. If the brake valve 'device `I2 is of the automatic type, the handle I8 is operated to an application position to supply Vfluid under pressure to the pipe I9 and, when the desired pressure is attained inV the brake cylinder I0, then shifted to a lap position to cutoff the Yfurther supply of fluid under pressure to the brake cylinder. Y

As long as the vehicle wheel |09 continues to rotate at a speed corresponding to vehicle speed, the magnet valve device 41 of the release valve device I3 remains deenergized and, consequently, the position of the piston valve 22 and valve piston S3 o f the release'valve device I3 and the Yreapplication valve device I4 remains unchanged.

If, therefore, the Vvehicle wheel |09 does not slip, during an application of the brakes, the brakes may be released by operating the handle VI8 of the brake valve device I2 in such a manner as to exhaust iluid under pressure from the brake cylinder I through'pipe and passage 61, in parallel past the ball check valve 92 and the unseated valve piston 63 to the passage and pipe 66, thence through annular chamber 26, ports 28, chamber 21, Vpassage 3|, chamber 33, and pipe I9.

If, however, the pressure established in .the brake cylinder I3 kby operation of the brake valve device I2 in the manner described produces Such a Vdegree of application of Ythe brakes .on the vehicle wheel |09 as to initiate slipping thereof, the wheel-slip detectorV I responds and switch Vcontact member |32A is accordingly actuated to Vto the piston chamber 45 shifts the piston 4| in the left-hand direction toY cause the piston valve 22 to move in the left-hand direction into seated engagement with the gasket seat 34 on the annularstop .32, thus rcutting off the connection from the pipe I9 .to the pipe; 66 leading to the brake cylinder IG and establishing communication from the pipe 65 and the connected brake cylinder I5 toatmosphere by way of the annular chamber :26, ports 28, chamber 35, passage 36, chamber 31 and exhaust port 38.

The ball vcheck valve 85 is unseated upon the supply of fluid under pressure into the pipe and passage 83 from thev passage 55 and consequently permits rapid flow of iiuid under pressure to the volume reservoir 3| and piston chamber 12 so that the piston 1| is shifted in the left-hand direction substantially together with the .piston 4|, to cause the valve piston 63 to engage the annular ri-b seat 69 and cut off the connection therepast between the passage 51 and the passage 95. The exhaust communication through vwhich uid under pressure is released from the brake cylinder I9 by way of the exhaust port 33 of the release valve device I3 is, however, maintained independently of the seating of the valve piston 63 due to the fact that the ball check valve '-92 unseatsto permit rapid flow of fluid under pressure from the passage and pipe 61 and the connected brake cylinder I9' to the passage and pipe 66.

VIt will thus be apparent that, substantially upon the initiation Vof slipping of the vehicle wheel |09, uid under vpressure is rapidly released vto atmosphere from the brake cylinder I0.

It has been determined that in cases where the degree of the application of the brakes is reduced substantially immediately upon the inception of the slipping of wheels, a slipping time or slipping ,periodV of the order of one second or vmore occurs. It isrpossible, therefore, to( so de sign the equipment that the reduction in brake cylinder pressure is effected sulciently rapidly within the slipping period that the vehicle wheel may never attain the locked wheel 'state but will cease deceleration and begin to accelerate back to a rotative speed corresponding to vehicle speed prior to attaining the locked-wheel state.

However, even though the vehicle wheel I 99 shouldrattain the locked-wheel state, it will revrnain in such state only momentarily because the i continued rapid reduction in brake cylinder pressure eventually reduces the application of the Vbrakes to'such a degree that the wheel immediately begins to accelerate back toward a speed corresponding to vehicle speed- When the vehicle wheel I 09 returns substantially toa speed of rotation corresponding to vehicle speed and the switch contact member |32 of the wheel-slip detector I5 is accordingly actuated to circuit-opening position, the electromagnet 52 of the magnet valve device lI'I is deenergized. As a result of the deenergization of the electromagnet 52, the supply valve 48 is reseated and the release valve 49 is unseated so that the supply of fluid under pressure to the piston chambers 45 and 'I2 is cut off and communication established, in the manner previously described, through which fluid under pressure is released from both the piston chambers 45 and l2 to atmosphere through the exhaust port 5l of the magnet valve device 4l. The exhaust of fluid under pressure from the piston chamber i5 is elected rapidly and consequently the piston valve 22 of the release valve device I3 is almost immediately shifted in the right-hand direction into seated relation cn the gasket seat 24, thereby cutting oif the communication between the pipe and passage 99 and the connected brake cylinder I 9 to atmosphere through the exhaust port 38 and reestablishing communication from the supply pipe I9 to the pipe and passage 66.

Fluid under pressure is released from the piston chamber I2 of the reapplication valve device I 4 at a relatively slow rate, however, due to the restricted passage 89 and consequently the valve piston 63 is maintained seated on the annular rib seat 69 for a length of time determined by the capacity of the volume reservoir 8| and the ow area of the restricted passage 89. The capacity of the volume reservoir 9| and the flow area of the restricted passage 89 are preferably such that the valve piston 63 is maintained in seated relation on the annular rib seat 69 for a length of time suiiicient to enable the vehicle or train to be brought to a complete stop.

it will, accordingly, be seen that upon the restoration of the supply communication from the pipe I9 to the pipe 69 through the release valve device I3 in the manner just described, fluid under pressure can only be supplied to the brake cylinder i9 by unseating the loaded check valve 99 because valve piston 93 is seated and ballv check valve 92 seats to prevent flow of fluid under pressure therepast to the brake cylinder. Accordingly, when the vehicle wheel |99 returns substantially to a speed corresponding to the vehicle speed, following slipping thereof, fluid under pressure is rapidly resupplied to the brake cylinder I9 but the ultimate pressure attained in the brake cylinder Ill is less than the pressure established in the supply pipe I9 by an amount which corresponds to the loading force of the spring 98. For example, if the spring 98 exerts a loading force which is the equivalent of fifteen pounds per sq. in. on the check valve 96 and the pressure established in the supply pipe I9 is seventy-five pounds per sq. in., the maximum pressure restorable in the brake cylinder I while the vehicle or train is still in motion will ybe sixty pounds per sq. in.

By thus limiting the restored pressure in the brake cylinder to a value lower than that which originated or initiated the slipping of the vehicle wheel |99, the likelihood of. reoccurrence of slipping of the wheel |99 is minimized if not entirely obviated. It Will be apparent that economy of consumption of fluid under pressure is thereby attained by preventing unnecessary repetition of the venting of the brake cylinder as in the case of other proposed anti-wheel-sliding devices wherein the original pressure which initiated the slipping of the wheels is immediately restored when the vehicle wheel returns toward a speed corresponding to the vehicle speed.

When the pressure in the piston chamber I2 of the reapplication valve device I4 reduces sufciently following the delay interval previously described, and as previously stated preferably after the vehicle or train is brought to a complete stop, the valve piston 63 is shifted in the right-hand direction to its normal position wherein it is unseated from the annular rib seat 99. Fluid under pressure may then flow from the pipe and passage 69 past the unseated valve piston 93 to the passage and pipe 61 leading to the brake cylinder I 9 to cause the pressure in the brake cylinder to rise to the pressure established in the supply pipe I9. With the Vehicle stopped, however, the restoration of the brake cylinder pressure corresponding to that which initiated wheel slipping or wheel sliding results only advantageously since the vehicle wheel |99 is thereby held against rotation and the vehicle or train thereby held in stopped position with the greater braking force.

Since the release valve device I3 and the reapplication valve device I 4 are always restored to the position shown in the drawing after the vehicle is brought to a complete stop, the pressure in the brake cylinder I0 may be exhausted to atmosphere and the brakes accordingly released under the control of the brake valve device I2 in the manner previously described.

In Fig. 4, a modified construction of the reapplication valve device I 4 is shown which consists in providing a'passage I5I between the passage 66 and the passage 61, in by-pass relation to the valve piston 63 and the loaded check valve 99, the passage |5| containing a choke fitting |62 having a restricted passage |53 therein.

In operation, fluid under pressure continues to be resupplied to the brake cylinder following relief of the wheel slipping condition through the restricted passage |53 of the choke fitting |52 notwithstanding the seating of. the loaded check valve 99 when the pressure in the brake cylinder attains a certain xed pressure lower than the supply pressure in pipe 66. Thus, following a wheel-slipping condition, fluid under pressure is initially rapidly resupplied to the brake cylinder lll to a pressure which is a xed amount less than the original pressure which initiated the wheelslipping condition, as determined by the strength of the loading spring 98, and then at a relatively restricted or slow rate until the original pressure established in the supply pipe 98 is again established in the brake cylinder IIJ.

If the valve piston 63 is not unseated, due to the time delay in its operation following cessation of the wheel-slipping condition, until after the vehicle is brought to a stop, then by suitably designing the flow area of the restricted passage |53 of choke fitting |52, the brake cylinder pressure may never build upto the original pressure which initiated the wheel slipping before the vehicleis brought to a complete stop. The restricted passage |53 may, however, be such as to permit the reestablishment of the original brake cylinder .pressure that is a pressure equal to that established in'control or supply pipe I9, before the vehicle comes to a complete stop.

While we have illustrated our invention as applied to a single vehicle wheel, it will be understood that various modifications or additions may be effected, without departing from the spirit of ourv invention, in order toy adapt the, equipment for operation on all wheels of a Vehicle or train. It. is,- accordingly, not our intention to limit the scope of our invention except as it is necessitated by the scope of the prior art.

Having now described our invention, what We claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is:

1.v The method of operating vehicle Wheel brakes which comprises effecting an application of the brakes to a certain degree, effecting a reduction in the degree of the brake application when a wheel starts to slip, effecting reapplication of the. brakes when the wheel returns substantially to4 a Vspeed corresponding to vehicle speed following-the slipping thereof,V and limiting. the restoredV application of the brakes to a degree which is, lessthan the certain degree which initiated the slipping of the wheel.

2. The method of operating vehicle wheel brakes which comprises effecting anV application of the brakes to. a certain degree, effecting a reduction in the degree of the brake application when a wheel starts to, slip, effecting reapplication of the brakes when the wheel returns substantially to a speedk corresponding to vehicle speed following the slipping thereof, and limiting the restored. application of the brakes to a degree which is a xed amount less than the certain degreev which initiatedr theslipping of the wheel.

3. The method ofoperating vehiclewheel brakes which comprises leffecting anV application of the brakes tov a, certain degree, effecting a rapid reduction. inthe degreeof the brake application when a wheel slips more. than a certain degree below a speed corresponding to vehicle speed to Vcause cessation of the slipping, effectingreapplication of the brakes when the wheel returns, following the slippingthereof, to a speed havingV less than `Vsaid certain degree of slip, and limiting the application. of the brakes following the slipping of the. wheel, to a degreev which is less than the said certain degree which initiated the slipping of the wheel.

4. A vehicle brake system comprising means for effecting application of the brakes on a vehicle, wheel, means operative automatically when the vehicle wheel slips due tothe application of the brakes for-.reducing the degree of the` brake application so as to. cause the wheel to. return towardV a speed corresponding tovehicle'speed and operative ony the return of the. vehicle wheel toa speed corresponding substantiallyffto vehicle speed for restoring the brake` applicationfand means` effective to prevent for a limited time the restoration of thebrakeapplicatio-n beyond a degree` which isacertai-n xed amount lower than the, degree which initiated. the slipping ofthe wheel. Y Y Y 5.. A. vehicle brake system comprising meansy for effecting application of the brakes ona ve,- hicle4 wheel, meansA operativeautomatically when the vehiclewheel slips. durel to the application. of.

the brakes, for reducing the. deg-ree of the. brakeV application so.4 as, to` cause the. wheel Vto return toward, fa speed. corresponding to. vehicle Speed andj operative on thev return ofVV the vehicle wheel substantially to a, speed corresponding to vehicle speedmforY restoring the brake application and means eifectiveY to, limit the reapplication of the brakes toadegree whichisalways a certain uniform amount less than the degree whichv initiated the slipping of. the wheel.

6. AI vehicle brake system comprising means for effecting application of the brakes on a vehicle wheel, means operative automatically when the vehicle wheel slips due to the application of the brakes for reducing the degree of the brake application so as to cause the wheel to return toward a speed corresponding to vehicle speed and operative on the return of the vehicle wheel substantially to a speed corresponding to vehicle speed for restoring the brake application, and means effective for a limited time following the return of the vehicle wheel to a speed corresponding substantially to vehicle speed for preventing restoration of the. brake application beyond a degree which is less than the degree which initiated the slipping of the wheel.

'1. A vehicle brake system comprising a brake cylinder', a communication through which fluid under pressure is supplied to the brake cylinder to effect application of the brakes, a rst valve means operative from a normal position to close said communication to prevent the further supply of iuid under pressure to the brake cylinder and, to open said communication to atmosphere to vent fluid under pressure from the brake cylinder as, long as a Vehicle wheel slips more than a certain degree in speed below a speed corresponding to the vehicle speed, a second valve means operative from a normal position to close said communication when the vehicle wheel slips more than said certain degree below a speed corresponding to the vehicle speed, means eifective for a certain uniform intervalV of time following the return of the vehicle wheel to a speed having less than the said certain degree of slipr for preventing operation of said second Valve means to open said communication, and means adapted,

when said second valve means is in closed position and said Vfirst valve means is in its normal position, to permit the flow of fluid under pressure to the brake'cylinder but effective to limit the` pressure attained in the brake cylinder toa pressure which is a certain xed amount less than that established in the said communication.

8. In a vehicle. brake equipment, in combination, aV brake cylinder, means operative to control the supply and release of fluid under pressure to Vand from the brake cylinder to effect anV application and release of the brakes, a first valve means. operativeI from a normal position to cut off the supply Aof fluid under pressure to the brake cylinder and to establish communication through which fluid under pressure is released from the brake cylinder, a second valve means operative from a normal position to. a position for preventing the supply of uid under pressure therepast to the brake cylinder, means eifective when the said second valve means is in the` said operated positionand when theflrst valve means is in Vits normal position, to permit the4 supply of fluid under pressure therepast to the brake cylinder and to cut off the supply of fluid under pressure tothe brake cylinder when the pressure in the brake cylinder is aV certain xed amount lessv than the supply pressure, and means for controlling the operation of bothl said. valve means.

,9,In a vehicle brake equipmennin combination, a brake cylinder, means operative to control. the supply and the release vof fluid under pressure to and from the brake cylinder to effect an application andI release of the brakes, a rst valve means operative to. cut offthe supply of fluid under pressure to the brake cylinder and to establish communication through which fluid under pressure-is-y released from the brake cylinder, a second valve means operative to a position for preventing the supply of fluid under pressure therepast to the brake cylinder, means eifective when the second valve means is in the said operated position and when the first valve means is in its normal position, to permit the supply of fluid under pressure to the brake cylinder and to cut off the supply of fluid under pressure tothe brake cylinder when the pressure in the brake cylinder is a certain xed amount less than the supply pressure, means effective as long as a vehicle wheel slips in excess of a certain uniform degree in speed below a speed corresponding to the vehicle speed for effecting operation of both said valve means.

10. In a vehicle brake equipment, in combination, a brake. cylinder, a control means operative to supply iiuid under pressure to the brake cylinder to effect an application of the brakes, a

' first valve means operative from a normal position to cut off the supply of iluid under pressure to the brake cylinder and to establish communication through which fluid under pressure is released from the brake cylinder, a second valve means operative from a normal position to a position for preventing the supply of fluid under pressure therepast to the brake cylinder, means effective when the second Valve means is in the said operated position and when the rst Valve means is in its normal position, to permit the supply of fluid under pressure to the brake cylinder and to cut off the supply of fluid under pressure to the brake cylinder when the pressure in the brake cylinder is a certain fixed amount less than the supply pressure, means effective as long as the vehicle wheel slips more than a certain uniform degree in speed below a speed corresponding to vehicle speed for effecting operation of both said valve means, and means eifective to delay the return of said second valve means to its normal position for a certain period of time following the return of the Wheel to a speed having less than said certain uniform degreeI of slip.

1l. A vehicle brake equipment comprising a brake cylinder, two communications through which fluid under pressure may be supplied to the brake cylinder to effectl an application of the brakes, means effective to cut off the supply of fluid under pressure-to the brake cylinder through one of said communications when the pressure in 'the brake cylinder isa certain fixed amount less than the supply pressure and adapted to prevent back flow of fluid under pressure from the brake cylinder through said one communication, means operativev to close said second communication upon the slipping of avvehicle wheel more than a certain degree in speed below a speed corresponding to vehicler speed and effective to maintain said second communication closed for a certain uniform time following return of the said vehicle wheel to a speed having less than said certain degree of slip, and means for effecting a release of iluid under pressure from the brake cylinder when said second communication is closed.

12. A vehicle brake equipment comprising a passage through which fluid under pressure may be supplied to the brake cylinder and released from the brake cylinder tor eifect the application and release of the brakes, three parallel communications connecting the said passage to the brake cylinder, means for preventing flow of fluid under pressure through one of said communications to the brake cylinder and adapted to permit reverse flow of fluid under pressure froml the brake cylinder therethrough, means for preventing' back flow of fluid under pressure from the brake cylinder through a second of said communications and adapted to permit the ow of iiuid under pressure through said second communication to the brake cylinder until the pressure in the brake cylinder is a certain fixed amount less than the supply pressure in the said passage, and means operative. to close the third of said communications upon the slipping of a vehicle wheel more than a certain degree below a speed corresponding to vehicle speed and effective to maintain said third communication closed for a certain interval of time following return of the vehicle wheel to a speed having less than said certain degree of slip.

13. A vehicle brake equipment comprising a passage through which fluid under pressure may be supplied to the brake cylinder and released from the brake cylinder to effect the application and release of the brakes, three parallel communications connecting the said passage to the brake cylinder, means for preventing llow of fluid under pressure through one of said communications to the brake cylinder and adapted to permit reverse flow of fluid under pressure from the brake cylinder therethrough, means for preventing back ilow of fluid under pressure from the brake cylinder through `a second of said communications and adapted to permit the flow of fluid under pressure through said second communication to the brake cylinder until the pressure in the brake cylinder is a certain xed amount less than the supply pressure' in the said passage, means operative to close the third of said f communications upon the slipping of the vehicle wheel more than a certain degree below a speed corresponding to vehicle speed and effective to maintain said third communication closed for a certain interval of time following return of the vehicle wheel toa speed having less than said certain degree of slip, and means operative as long as the vehicle wheel slips more than said certain degree below a speed corresponding to vehicle speed for preventing the supply of fluid under pressure through the said passage and for establishing communication through which fluid under pressure is released from said passage to atmosphere.

14. The method of operating vehicle wheel brakes, which comprises effecting an application of the brakes to a certain degree, effecting a rapid reduction in the degree of the brake application when a wheel starts to slip and maintaining such rapid reduction as long as the wheel slips more than a certain amount below a speed corresponding to the vehicle speed, effecting the reapplication of the brakes at a rapid rate when the wheel again rotates, following slipping thereof, at a speed having less than said certain amount of slip, until the degree of application is a certain xed amount less than the said certain degree, and finally further increasing the degree of the application towards said certain degree at a relatively slow rate.

15. A vehicle brake system comprising meansl rfor effecting the application of the brakes on a vehicle wheel, means operative automatically when a vehicle wheel slips due to the application of the brakes for reducing the degree of the application of the brakes so as to cause the wheel to tend to cease slipping and operative on the return of the vehicle wheel to a speed corresponding substantially to the vehicle speed for restoring the brakerapplication, and means for Cil effecting the restoration of the brake application at a rapid rate following slipping of the Wheel until the degree of application is a certain iixed amount less than the degree which initiated the slipping of the wheel and eiiective thereafter to restrict the restoration of the brake application to a relatively low rate.

16. A vehicle brake equipment comprising a brake cylinder, a passage through which fluid under pressure may be supplied to the brake cylinder and released from the brake cylinder to effect the application and release of the brakes respectively, three separate communications connecting the said passage to the brake cylinder, means in one of said communications adapted to prevent the supply of iiuid under pressure from said passage to the brake cylinder and the release of iluid under pressure from the brake cylinder to the said passage except at a relatively loW rate, means for preventing back oW of fluid under pressure from the brake cylinder to the said passage through the second of said communications and adapted'to permit ow of uid under pressure from said passage to said brake cylinder at a rapid rate and to cut 01T the further supply of iluid under pressure from the passage to the brake cylinder through the second communication when the pressure in the brake cylinder is a certain fixed amount belowthe supply pressure in the said passage, means operative to close the third of said communications when a vehicle wheel slips more than a certain degree below a speed corresponding to the vehicle speed and effective to maintain the third communication closed as long as the vehicle wheel slips more than the said certain degree and for a predetermined length of time following reduction below said certain degree of slip, and means providing communication between the brake cylinder'and the said passage through which fluid under pressure may be rapidly released from the brake cylinder independently of said threel communications.

17, A vehicle brake equipment comprising a brake cylinder, a passage through which uid under pressure may be supplied to the brake cylinder and released from the brake` cylinder to effectthe application and release of the brakes respectively, three parallel communications connecting the said passage to the brake cylinder, means in one ofV said communications adapted to prevent the supply of fiuid under pressure from said passage to the brake cylinder and therelease of iiuid under pressure from the brake cylinder to the said passage except at a relatively 10W rate, means for preventing back flow of iiuid under pressure from the brake cylinder to the said passage through the second of said communications and adapted to permit fiow of fluid under pressure from said passage to said brake cylinder at a rapid rate and to cut oi the further supply of fluid under pressure from the passage to the brake cylinder through the second communication When the pressure in the brake cylinder is a certain Xed amount below the supply pressure in the said passage, means operative to close they third of said communications When a vehicle Wheel slips more than a certain degree below a speed corresponding to the vehicle speed and effective to maintain the third communication closed as long as the vehicle wheel slips more than the said certain degree and for a predetermined length of time following reduction below said certain degree of slip, means providing communication between the brake cylinder and the said passage through which fluid under pressure may be rapidly released from the brake cylinder independently of said three' communications, and means effective as long as the vehicle wheel slips more than said certain degree for cutting off the supply of fluid under pressure through said passage and establishing communication through which fluid under pressure is released from said passage.

' 18. A vehicle brake system comprising means for effecting application of the brakes on a vehicle wheel, means operative automatically when the vehicle wheel slips due to application of the brakes for reducing the degree of the brake application so as to cause the wheel to return toward a speed corresponding to vehicle speed and operative upon the return of the vehicle Wheel toward a speed corresponding to vehicle speed for restoring the brake application, and means effective for a limited time tof prevent the restoration of the application of the brakes at a rate other than a relatively slow rate once the application attains a degree which is a certain Xed amount lower than the degree which initiated theA slipping of the Wheel.

EDGAR A. WORK. CHARLES F. HAMMERv 

